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06/10/2009 There's only one Peter Brown
A couple of years ago while browsing through the classifieds of the Australian Fly Life forum, I stumbled upon a 12wt rod that I convinced myself I needed for an upcoming trip to far North Queensland. A phone call was made and in the following few minutes were spent talking to the seller about the condition of the rod, what it had been used for etc ... little did I know that the foundations for a great friendship were being laid down. At the time I was visiting friends in Brisbane and the seller agreed to make the drive from Noosa to
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09/08/2009 A new flat is born - flat white
Right, let's get things back on track, apologies for the delay in reporting on the continuing progress of my trip, I've been running around the country a bit trying to organise my life off the water. One of the greatest things about living in a big city like Sydney is that you get to develop a great base of friends who all share the same passion for fly fishing. With a population of more than 4 million people it's not hard to see why Sydney Harbour and Pittwater plays home to a massive playground for the recreational angler to
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01/08/2009 Solo missions and free swimming billfish
The campsite I've been staying in is about 2 mins from the boatramp so it's easy to just pop out for a solo afternoon fish when the September winds die down. Being a web designer by trade means I'm fortunate enough to be able to work anywhere as long as I have mobile coverage and my laptop. My mornings are usually consumed with computer work, afternoons are reserved for fishing and evenings see me working behind the bar at the local pub - The Pot Shot Resort. Come down for a beer if you're in town! At this time of the year there's
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20/07/2009 Brothers of the hunt
They say that hunters form part of a brotherhood. A band of brothers united by a common pursuit, united by the very instinct that has been responsible for our race’s survival since the day we stood upright. For thousands of years we have hunted the wilderness for our food using weapons, techniques and skills that were passed down from earlier generations, thus allowing man and his single-minded hunting instinct to co-exist in perfect harmony. Of course there would have been a few luxuries like a woman to bear his children or perhaps
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11/07/2009 Good on ya Grant
South Africa can lay claim to some fantastic things indeed! The abolition of apartheid, Mrs Balls Chutney, Ouma Rusks, some of the world's most dedicated and proficient fly fisherman and of course BILTONG !!! Grant Slinger a fellow expat South African from Durban now based in Sydney, flew out to join me in WA for some fishing and a relaxing holiday away from the bustling madness of the city. Shortly after picking him up, my mate Grant produced a bag of good old South African biltong and this set the tone for the rest of the days
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04/07/2009 Back to school with Matthew
31 years ago my teary eyed mother dropped her little angel off for his first day of junior school, wearing clothes that didn't fit, carrying a bag full of crayons and a lunch box stacked with supplies, I was left on my own to venture into the big wide world of school. The class was filled with kids of all colours, shapes and sizes, most with wide eyes, snotty noses and almost certainly most of us there had no clue as to what on earth we were all doing there. It was on this first day of school that I met Matthew Smithyman. And so it
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27/06/2009 On the water with Duckbill
Once I said goodbye to the folks, I was joined by a mate from Brisbane Queensland - David 'aka Duckbill' Reverdito. I was invited to fish with David in one of the tuna comps earlier in the year in Hervey Bay and he was also instrumental in helping me with the mods to the boat. David has the same boat and over the months of preparations was a fantastic help and sounding post. Naturally as fly fishing is all about sharing, I reciprocated by inviting him to join me on safari out West. We headed out on the first afternoon and were
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19/06/2009 The swoffing family
Next to visit me on Safari was my mother and father who made the journey over from South Africa to join me for a week and having not seen them for the past 18 months naturally there was a lot of catching up to be done. Both mum and dad fly fish and it wasn't long before rods were rigged and we were off in search of some fish on the flats. Mum was using a 7wt Orvis T3 that I gave her for her birthday coupled with a Shilton SL5 and Dad was using a 9wt Sage Xi2 with a Shilton SL6. The swoffing family, kitted and ready to go
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